Construction of valves for aerosols



p 1968 D. A. ROGERS 3,402,864

CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES FOR AEROSOLS Filed Aug. 51, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 4

INVENTOR DEREK A. Ross/vs P 6 D. A. ROGERS 3,402,864 I CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES FOR AEROSOLS Filed Aug. 31. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 8

INVENTOR DEREK A. ROGERS United States Patent O 3,402,864 CONSTRUCTION OF VALVES FOR AEROSOLS Derek A. Rogers, General Varela S/ N, Rubi, Barcelona, Spain Filed Aug. 31, 1966, Ser. No. 576,312 Claims priority, appliczli t7itgrigpaiu, Sept. 16, 1965,

6 Claims. (0. 222-402.24

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to improvements in the construction of valves for aerosols whereby valves of much more simple construction and more efficient operation than those known hitherto can be obtained.

The invention relates to valves formed by a single component and usable for metal or plastic containers, whereby the liquid in the container can be ejected completely atomised by a pressure gas, slight pressure on the valve being enough to eject the liquid. The valve can be of the type that provides a continuous supply for the whole of the time that pressure is applied, or only a determined quantity every time the valve is pressed, the supply ceasing as soon as the quantity has been ejected even though pressure continues.

Ordinary va'lves used hitherto for aerosols are composed of various metal and plastic elements, so that their assembly is relatively complicated and expensive. The closure of these valves generally depends on a helical metal spring, so that the operation and closure of the valve are frequently defective and the contents are liable to escape.

The valve of the present invention is formed by a reduced number of components, resulting in a reduction of the cost of manufacture and of difficulties occurring during assembly or operation, the different elements being assembled under pressure, without the need for any deformation or riveting. The materials used for the construction of the valve are compatible and there is no mixture of metal and plastics. The dimensions are reduced in comparison with existing valves, permitting more attractive designs. The valve is closed by the pressure of the aerosol applied to an inner diaphragm of the valve having a relatively large area so that the closure may be more effective, so that the disadvantages of valves in which the closure is spring-based are avoided. This valve can be used for metal or glass containers just like existing valves, and in the case of plastic containers it can be welded directly to the container.

The valve is composed of four essential elements, a valve body, a sealing washer, a retention cylinder and a piston with a diaphragm; an ejection head and a valve in the piston for cases in which a metering valve is required may be included as auxiliary elements.

The valve body has a cylindrical orifice which receives the piston; the retention cylinder is disposed between these two elements, and the annular sealing washer is disposed on the retention cylinder and a projection on the piston. The bottom of the piston has a diaphragm of large area which seals fluid-tightly the orifice of the cylinder body. The piston has a central orifice from which several ducts of small diameter commence and discharge below the 3,402,864 Patented Sept. 24, 1968 sealing washer, so that when the piston is in its highest position, forced by the pressure of the gas on the diaphragm, these ducts are closed by the said washer and when the piston descends, impelled by the force applied from outside, they remain open and in communication with the ejection orifice of the valve body.

An embodiment given by way of example with reference to the attached drawings will now be described. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the assembled valve;

FIG. 2 is a section through the line 11-11 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a plan view;

FIG. 4 is a section of the dismantled valve;

FIG. 5 shows a container, partly in section, incorporating the valve according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is the detail A of FIG. 5 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a section similar to the one in FIG. 2 of a metering valve, and

FIG. 8 is a section of a: valve with an ejection head.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the valve comprises a valve body 1, a sealing washer 2, a retention cylinder 3 and a piston 4 with a diaphragm.

The valve body is circular, with a cylindrical inner orifice having two sections, the top section 5 being of smaller diameter than the bottom section 6 from which the ejection orifice 7 commences. At the bottom this valve body has two concentric grooves, the inner groove 8 being adapted for the attachment of the piston and the outer groove 9 to receive a seal between the valve and the container to which it is to be attached.

The annular sealing washer 2 is made of a resilient material which provides the correct degree of fluid-tightness; it is disposed, as shown in FIG. 2, on the annular roof of the orifice 6 of the valve body and its dimensions are such that the outside diameter is equal to that of the orifice 6 and the inside diameter to that of the orifice 5, so that the latter is left completely clear.

The orifice 6 receives the retention cylinder 3 which retains the sealing washer 2. The outside diameter of this cylinder is slightly greater than the inside diameter of the orifice 6, so that slight pressure is required for its introduction; the inside diameter is equal to the bottom diameter of the piston and its height is such that it is level with the bottom edge of the valve body. Finally, the whole assembly is closed by the piston 4 with a diaphragm, composed of a piston head 10, piston body 11 and diaphragm 12. The body 11 has a central orifice 13 for the ejection of the liquid, from which orifice commence the ducts 14 which discharge at the projection of the aforementioned body. The bottom of the piston, formed by a thin plate, comprises the slightly concave diaphragm 12 with an annular rim 15 for attaching it to the valve body. Round the orifice 13 there is an annular rim 16 for attaching the supply tube.

FIG. 2 shows the various elements after assembly; the head 10 of the piston fits in the orifice 5 and the body 11 in the cylinder 3, so that the sealing washer 2 is retained by the cylinder and closes the outlets of the ducts 14.

The valve is fitted in the container as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, which latter is a detail on an enlarged scale showing the ring 17 which holds the valve onto the edge of the container, fluid-tightness being provided by the resilient ring 18 in the channel 9 of the valve.

The container holds a mixture of the product to be atomised and a gas of relatively high pressure so that the product can be expelled when the valve is opened.

When the various elements of the valve are in the position shown in FIG. 2, the internal pressure acts on the diaphragm 12; the sealing washer 2 presses the projection of the body 11 of the piston so as to close the outlets of the ducts 14. When the top of the valve body is pressed, this part being constituted by a flexible diaphragm, the

pressure is transmitted to the head 10 of the piston, which then descends and leaves the outlets of the ducts 14 open. Owing to the internal pressure, the product in the container rises through the supply tube 19, passes through the central orifice 13 and the ducts 14, and finally issues in atomised form through the lateral outlet channel 7. The product will continue to be ejected as long as pressure is applied; as soon as this pressure ceases the piston will return to its original position, impelled by the diaphragm 12 on which the internal pressure acts, again closing the ducts 14.

For some purposes metering valves are required; these are valves which supply a determined quantity of product after each actuation. The valve described only has to be modified slightly, as FIG. 7 shows. All that is needed is to make the head 10 independent of the piston and to form in the body 11' of the piston a chamber formed by two cylindrical portions 20 and 21 which have different diameters and are connected to one another by a truncated cone-shaped portion. The head 10' slides in the cylindrical portion 20 of the chamber of greater diameter than 21; a ball 22 is disposed in the portion 21 of the chamber so as to form a ball valve with that chamber portion. The head 10' has a cylindrical projection 23 of a length such as to impart a given clearance to the ball. The other components of the valve are as in the previous example. In this case the valve operates as follows: Owing to the internal pressure the liquid rises through the duct 19, raises the ball 22 and fills the chamber 20; when the top of the valve is pressed the head 10 descends, pushing the ball down and closing the inlet orifice; further pressure causes the body 11' to descend and leave clear the outlets of the ducts 14 through which the fluid in the chamber escapes through being subjected to the same pressure as that in the container, and finally issues through the orifice 7.

FIG. 8 shows a modification of the valve described. Here, the top diaphragm of the valve is eliminated and the position of the outlet channel 7' is modified. The product issues from a head 24 attached to the final outlet, the pressure for atomising the product now being applied to this head. The form of the head may be modified according to the purpose of the aerosol and as desired by the manufacturers.

The material used for the construction of the valve may 4 1. A valve for aerosol containers comprising a valve body provided with an outlet orifice, a piston inside said valve body; said piston comprising a cylindrical head, a cylindrical body of greater diameter than said head and forming a shoulder therefor, and a flexible diaphragm at the bottom of said cylindrical body closing the valve body, ducts in said cylindricaL body communicating with the aerosol and opening in said shoulder; a washer normally sealing said ducts when the piston is forced outwardly by the pressure of the aerosol, a retention cylinder for said washer disposed between said valve body and said piston, and a passage connecting said duets with said outlet opening when the pistonis pressed inwardly against the pressure of the aerosol.

2. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical head and cylindrical body of the piston form a single member.

3. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical head and cylindrical body of the piston form two separate members.

4. A valve as claimed in claim 3 comprising an inner chamber in said piston body communicating with the aerosol in the container and means closing said communication when said piston head is actuated, thereby providing for a metered discharge of the aerosol corresponding to the aerosol present in said chamber when said communication is closed.

5. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said piston head is disposed in the valve body below a flexible portion of the same, said outlet orifice being disposed in the valve body.

6. A valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said piston head projects outside the valve body, and wherein said outlet orifice is disposed in said head.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 549,678 11/ 1895 Miller. 2,083,156 6/1937 McCabe. 2,623,785 12/ 1952 Henchert. 2,686,652 8/1954 Carlson et al 222-394 X 3,248,015 4/ 1966 De Giorgi 2225l4 X FOREIGN PATENTS 258, 091 4/ 1949 Switzerland.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

